February 1, 2004

New Rules for Inactive Diaries

Happy Monday everybody,

At least today we have an entry title that somewhat describes the contents.

I’ve been messing around with the system rules that we have on Open Diary for removing inactive diaries. Our rule in the past has always been that diaries that are inactive for more than ninety days are removed from the system.

This is one of my least favorite parts of this job, because it is always sad to watch diary entries being deleted from OD – at one time, they were meaningful to somebody, even if they are abandoned now. On the other hand, if we kept every diary ever written on the site forever, our servers would eventually choke from the overload.

However, ninety days has often seemed like too short a time, because people are sometimes forced to leave their diaries for extended periods. I’ve heard from members of the military going overseas, students going to university, teachers going on sabbatical, and many others who are forced away from their diaries for more than ninety days but don’t want to lose them.

I want to make the system a little more flexible, and I want people to feel more secure in knowing their diary will be there if they ever have to leave it for a long period.

So, here are the new rules for keeping a diary active:

After 90 days of inactivity, the diary will no longer appear on the Search screens or Index screens of the site. However, the diary will still be accessible through the Jump To box, and available to the owner by simply unlocking it. The diary will still function in all ways like any other diary. Basically, a diary that has been inactive for more than 90 days will be invisible to other users of OD, unless it is updated. Once the diary has been updated, it will appear on the site again.
After 180 days of inactivity, the diary will be permanently removed from the site and can not be restored. At any time before the 181st day, the diary can be brought back to active status by the author unlocking it and updating it.
Updating your diary is what is used to gauge it’s activity. Unlocking the diary, leaving notes, visiting the site, or any other activity will not cause your diary to appear active to the system. The only thing that makes your diary active is if you write in it. This includes writing private entries – they count towards keeping your diary active.
None of the above rules apply to your diary, if you have an OD Plus subscription. If you have a current Plus subscription, your diary will not be removed for inactivity – no matter how long it is since it was written in. However, if your OD Plus subscription expires, your diary is subject to removal again. This does not mean that you have 180 days from the end of the subscription – if your diary has not been written in for more than 180 days, and your subscription expires today, your diary could be removed tomorrow.

I hope this makes things clearer for everybody, and also easier. By keeping diaries on the system for six months, I think more people will be able to keep their diaries alive through the ebb and flow of their lives.

The DiaryMaster

Clear as a bell to me, but that only means that about 50% of the population will get it. Simple, straightforward instructions, numbered, for some reason confuse the logic impaired.

i think this is a great idea! thank you 🙂

whoa diarymaster… impressive. im just a random person who found it cool that this site had a diarymaster… hence my noting and rambling (simultaneously). if you’ve read this far then congrats and come check out my diary.

very good plan. i approve.

Im having a serious and extremely annoying problem. I logged into my old diary for a couple minutes, and then locked it. Then I logged into my current diary, and everything was fine under my favorites list and my notes and everything, but when I clicked on the link to write in my diary, it took me back to my old diary to write. I tried logging out over and over again, but nothing works. Help!

I’m not sure if I’m supposed to leave you a note here, but my email program isn’t working right, so this is the only way I can contact you right now. I just wanted to let you know that Open Diary is letting me sign on even if I don’t type my password in exactly right. I was wondering if that was normal or not. Just wanted to let you know. Thanks!

I was just trying to get to my diary without logging in (and it’s not set to favourite’s only, or a private diary) so i went to “Jump to a diary” and typed in my name, but then the search results came up as nothing. I dont understand why my diary wouldn’t be on the search results, can u help me?

That’s awesomely generous. Thanks!

A good move, thanks …

how do i post a picture on the main page of my diary?

I want to suggest a new circle; disability. I think it’d make an interesting one. I mean, the health circle is wide in spectrum. I for one would like a disability circle, I’d like to see what range of disabilities people that use this site have, and I’d certaily use the circle, being a disabled person (I can’t walk).

Disabled people can be very often made to feel isolated and alone and even frigtened to mention a disability for fear of ridicule. In a disabled circle, we can make eachother feel welcome, not so alone. Friendships can be formed with likeminded people and, well, maybe others’ll see we’re not people to be scared of, we’re still humans.

When the site underwent it’s ‘facelift’, a room for people of colour was added, all very PC and nice. So why not a disabbility room, even more PC? I think it’d be a good addition to the site

The Geographic index isn’t working.

My diary entries are playing up again with not letting me post entries, claiming they are over the limit when I have shortened them so much they aren’t! Sorry to bother you with this but it’s really annoying.

ok now.. i just wanna ask bout the new menus and options we had for some reason they are gone and I wanted to know why. Is it my computer or everyone’s.. like the options in an entry when u can change the color.. font etc.. and the menu for like faves by name and update!

I hate doing this, but there is someone called Monday from ODPlus who has been leaving me harassing notes, and when I delete them they just leave more. Is there anything you can do?? Thank you so much! *muah*

i have a question: on the “leave a note” link, how do you make it say something other than “leave a note”?

I am glad you changed this rule. I know it will help alot of people who use od. I noticed you have not been using your od cares diary much. Oh well.

hurrah. i have been on OD since 99, and i have always worried, since i have to leave my diary for two months at a time. thank you.

mi sister had a diary on here.. well, its still here and everything… and its been waaaay more than 90 days since she wrote it… even from before this, i think. so i didnt think the other rule was even in effect.

I’m glad this problem has been fixed. I lost my very first diary because my entries wouldn’t save :-/. ~Azriel

Thanks I appreciate your efforts!

what if my password no longer works for some reason and I haven’t been able to get onto my diary? This is a new one I just made to be able to leave a note. How can I get the old one back? I don’t know if it’s been six months or not.